Saturday Stops Practice

[RollerColt]

The walkthroughs… oh boy…

[IinD]

[2006Coltsbestever]

- it's over, it is all over.   What's the matter with you guys? Don't you care about winning?

[buccolts]

So, they play as they practice, ay(?)

[buccolts]

What the heck is going on around here?

[EastStreet]

He's stopped practice several times per reports. Even the 1st week when he wasn't happy.

 

Good for him! 

 

If you can't practice right, do it over... and if you still can't do it right, sit..

[RollerColt]

3 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

He's stopped practice several times per reports. Even the 1st week when he wasn't happy.

 

Good for him! 

 

If you can't practice right, do it over... and if you still can't do it right, sit..

Absolutely. But we’re talking about walkthroughs, not even true practice… starting to feel like we’re finding some roots to the issues of this organization: the players.

[EastStreet]

11 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

Absolutely. But we’re talking about walkthroughs, not even true practice… starting to feel like we’re finding some roots to the issues of this organization: the players.

 

Walkthroughs are a big part of practice. They are "true" practice. IIRC, at least one day each week is all walkthroughs. And important each day. When they do installation, it starts with heavy walkthroughs. 

 

But I agree we are likely uncovering "roots"... Not suggesting it's all "players". IMO, it's also "coaching" too, and the "process" also. Can't remember which player said it, but we didn't stop things before Jeff much at all. And if we didn't, that's a huge "root" itself. And that's coaching... 

 

Details, details, details... effort, effort, effort... concentration, concentration, concentration... got to have all of it to execute. 

[CR91]

Well when the organization makes a mockery of coaching hires, you expect players to actually care especially when they know the season is over.

[crazycolt1]

31 minutes ago, CR91 said:

Well when the organization makes a mockery of coaching hires, you expect players to actually care especially when they know the season is over.

A mockery?  

[Mackrel829]

32 minutes ago, CR91 said:

Well when the organization makes a mockery of coaching hires, you expect players to actually care especially when they know the season is over.

 

It will be difficult for some players to maintain focus and effort when the season is already done but that's why I don't really see this as an issue. A player that quits is not a player you want on your football team so let them identify themselves during the coming weeks. That way, we know who we need to move on from and who deserves to stick around.

 

[Defjamz26]

Sounds about right. This sounds like the team we’ve been seeing since the season finale against Jacksonville last season. Some of that is straight up on the players. I think there’s some ego there. A lot of them were handed huge contracts that they didn’t deserve and let getting pro bowl accolades go to their head. That’s my opinion at least.

 

The other you have to put on the organization for what they put them through. This is QB number 7, offensive playcalling has been horrendous since last year, one of the lockeroom guys was traded, and the HC was fired mid-season. You also have to wonder what the incentive is for them to perform when it seems like everyone will get a big new contract and be handed starting spots without any real competition. 
 

This team is checked out so whatever effect everyone in the media was saying he had on the locker room must’ve worn off. The team essentially has looked the same in the Saturday era.

[#12.]

These are strange times.  Are they really going to listen to Saturday, knowing he probably won't be the head coach next month?  And let's be honest, Jeff's credibility took a big hit Monday night.

 

Let's get 2022 over with.

[HOZER]

3 hours ago, CR91 said:

Well when the organization makes a mockery of coaching hires, you expect players to actually care especially when they know the season is over.

Yes. That’s what they’re paid to do. Most professions if you fail you better work harder to improve or you’re shown the door. Maybe that’s what some of them want? If so,

 

[cdgacoltsfan]

4 hours ago, CR91 said:

Well when the organization makes a mockery of coaching hires, you expect players to actually care especially when they know the season is over.

Umm...they are compensated quite handsomely to "care" 

[coltsfeva]

  It’s been a nightmare of a season, beginning with expectations of a Division championship and a missed field goal in the Texans game. Just a nightmare……

  Any truth to the Harbaugh rumors? I’m wondering about Irsay’s mindset: he is my age and at this age, you start wondering how many seasons he has left to win a championship.

[bluephantom87]

These guys are still being paid to do a job. As a matter of fact some are just JAG types on this team but are being paid superstar money. I've always said I don't see ENOUGH "dawgs" on this team. It has too many laid back types and there is  NOTHING wrong with that but you need PASSION on the field.  Heart and desire to be the BEST is a much needed trait in football period! Even when they lose or have bad performances I don't see the anger or pain OVERALL from this team. So it doesn't SURPRISE me to hear this report.

 

Saturday RECOGNIZES that this team is NOT good enough to be loafing around whether it be walk throughs, regular practices or what they put out on game day. The WHOLE culture of this team needs to change STARTING with Ballard whose been on the job for MULTIPLE seasons now. His OVERALL build has garnered LESS than stellar results and one could argue that the team is REGRESSING instead of IMPROVING. As a matter of fact his UNDER .500 record on the job suggests that he is meh as a gm. Like former hc Frank Reich and MOST of these players they are likeable but avgerage at best. That's NOT good enough if this team is truly STRIVING FOR GREATNESS that Irsay speaks of. 

[csmopar]

8 hours ago, EastStreet said:

 

Walkthroughs are a big part of practice. They are "true" practice. IIRC, at least one day each week is all walkthroughs. And important each day. When they do installation, it starts with heavy walkthroughs. 

 

But I agree we are likely uncovering "roots"... Not suggesting it's all "players". IMO, it's also "coaching" too, and the "process" also. Can't remember which player said it, but we didn't stop things before Jeff much at all. And if we didn't, that's a huge "root" itself. And that's coaching... 

 

Details, details, details... effort, effort, effort... concentration, concentration, concentration... got to have all of it to execute. 

Exactly 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

There seems to be a lot of bad practice habits that have been installed in this team.

[Yoshinator]

Not surprising honestly. I'm sure Reich coddled these players and that's why they were never ready for games and started slow. Terrible game prep by both the Coach and the players. Complacent team. Saturday recognizes it, but maybe unable to fix it.

[chad72]

9 hours ago, EastStreet said:

He's stopped practice several times per reports. Even the 1st week when he wasn't happy.

 

Good for him! 

 

If you can't practice right, do it over... and if you still can't do it right, sit..

 

I remember Marvin Harrison saying "they pay me to practice, that is where the hard work happens and then the game, that is when you have fun..."  

[Flash7]

1. As far as the players are concerned, they know the season is over. It's done. They're just going through the motions and hoping to make it through each week injury free. There's no fire or sense urgency.

 

2. Jeff Saturday is an interim coach auditioning to keep his job. He has the will to win, but the players have checked out. The coach and players are at odds with each other and if the players are truly done with this season, then it won't matter how much hootin' and hollerin' Saturday does. It's all theatre to the players.

 

3. This wasn't supposed to happen with a group of high character players, but here we are. Maybe now we can understand that in football, you get the best football players? Not the best choir boys, because in the end it hasn't made a difference.

[DougDew]

9 hours ago, RollerColt said:

starting to feel like we’re finding some roots to the issues of this organization: the players.

 

4 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Sounds about right. This sounds like the team we’ve been seeing since the season finale against Jacksonville last season. Some of that is straight up on the players. 

Its funny how some will say that players are being paid a lot so they are complacent.  Others will say that guaranteed money means nothing as these guys want to work hard to win a "Championship".  So which is it?

 

The reality is, is that NFL football is a physically hard sport that carries with it possibilities for devastating injury on any play...even non contact practice.  If you are going to risk your body like that...and put forth the effort it takes...you want to be reasonably assured that investment will have some decent chance at winning that "Championship".

 

They know what they are.  They've known it since last season....they came back to reality in the LVR game and then fully cemented with the JAX game last season.  They knew the roster was not good enough last year, and they know that other teams made moves in the AFC to get better while the Colts basically just added a couple of one year vets and some drafted rookies. 

 

Not to mention an owner that never supported the QB last year, and was one of the few corporate CEOs that publicly looked like he was taking sides with players personal health choices...looking like he cut the QB based on what personal health choice he made.

 

A HC is not going to motivate them to think that they are going to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs, or necessarily even get them to think that they are playoff quality.  Especially after losing Divisional games.

 

Its funny to read comments like its either Frank or Jeff..which is better.  The fact is the motivational problems come from the players understanding the math, and the owner being a bit of an impulsive flake that had a material impact on their teammates and roster.  When it comes to energy, motivation, etc, whoever the HC is pretty powerless at this point (and all season frankly) and has just sort of gotten caught in the middle.

[TheShadow]

The colts sound and looks just like the falcons did before the owner turned over the coaching staff and GM and started releasing overpaid players. Ryan walked right into the same situation he was in. 

[buccolts]

Can we get back to exceptionalism, please?

And take that participation banner off the rafters.

[RollerColt]

10 minutes ago, DougDew said:

 

Its funny how some will say that players are being paid a lot so they are complacent.  Others will say that guaranteed money means nothing as these guys want to work hard to win a "Championship".  So which is it?

 

The reality is, is that NFL football is a physically hard sport that carries with it possibilities for devastating injury on any play...even non contact practice.  If you are going to risk your body like that...and put forth the effort it takes...you want to be reasonably assured that investment will have some decent chance at winning that "Championship".

 

They know what they are.  They've known it since last season....they came back to reality in the LVR game and then fully cemented with the JAX game last season.  They knew the roster was not good enough last year, and they know that other teams made moves in the AFC to get better while the Colts basically just added a couple of one year vets and some drafted rookies. 

 

Not to mention an owner that never supported the QB last year, and was one of the few corporate CEOs that publicly looked like he was taking sides with players personal health choices...looking like he cut the QB based on what personal health choice he made.

 

A HC is not going to motivate them to think that they are going to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs, or necessarily even get them to think that they are playoff quality.  Especially after losing Divisional games.

 

Its funny to read comments like its either Frank or Jeff..which is better.  The fact is the motivational problems come from the players understanding the math, and the owner being a bit of an impulsive flake that had a material impact on their teammates and roster.  When it comes to energy, motivation, etc, whoever the HC is pretty powerless at this point (and all season frankly) and has just sort of gotten caught in the middle.

What point are you trying to make with me? For the record, I lean towards Ballard and Irsay being the main reasons for why the team is the way it is. 

[1959Colts]

These players have not been concentrating since the ping pong tables and arcade games were removed

[DougDew]

15 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

What point are you trying to make with me? For the record, I lean towards Ballard and Irsay being the main reasons for why the team is the way it is. 

Not argumentative.  I was agreeing with you and expanded on it from my point of view.

[Shive]

9 hours ago, RollerColt said:

Absolutely. But we’re talking about walkthroughs, not even true practice… starting to feel like we’re finding some roots to the issues of this organization: the players.

Ever since the last Jags games last season, I've had the feeling that there were a couple of prominent "leaders" on the team that are very talented as individuals, but actually poor leaders. Just because someone is a pro-bowler or all-pro doesn't make them a good leader, and it feels like we may have thrusted leadership roles on some players that aren't a good fit for leading.

 

Some of the body language in the last Hard Knocks episode made me question a few guys as leaders like Buckner.

 

Edit: I should clarify that I don't believe Buckner is a bad leader, but I'm not sold on whether or not he's a good one.

[Fluke_33]

Wasn't Brian Decker hired to investigate players backgrounds and interview them so we had the right character guys to deal with adversity?  Epic fail bro, as the kids say.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

13 minutes ago, Shive said:

Ever since the last Jags games last season, I've had the feeling that there were a couple of prominent "leaders" on the team that are very talented as individuals, but actually poor leaders. Just because someone is a pro-bowler or all-pro doesn't make them a good leader, and it feels like we may have thrusted leadership roles on some players that aren't a good fit for leading.

 

Some of the body language in the last Hard Knocks episode made me question a few guys as leaders like Buckner.

 

Edit: I should clarify that I don't believe Buckner is a bad leader, but I'm not sold on whether or not he's a good one.

Buckner I don’t think is loud vocal. He can have nice speeches ect but not in your face holding players accountable.

[RollerColt]

26 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Not argumentative.  I was agreeing with you and expanded on it from my point of view.

Ah, my apologies Doug. I've been... off lately honestly. Sorry to get so defensive. 

 

I like Frank. I thought he was a decent HC. In a weird way, I feel like him being relieved from the Colts mid-season will work out in his favor. Was that Irsay being merciful by taking him out of this mess of a roster? I don't know... But he's essentially got a head start for next year's openings, and he can focus on his family for a bit. The sad reality is if Ballard is to either step down or get fired, Frank would've been removed as well by the next regime. I'm fairly certain we'll see him coaching again next year somewhere... Possibly the Jags as their offensive coordinator, wouldn't that be fun to deal with twice a year! 

[BeanDiasucci]

With Saturday being new to coaching, he was just practicing how to call a time out. 

[Smonroe]

I hope no one thinks Saturday is the first coach to stop a practice and yell at his players?

 

(I speak from experience - not the yelling...more like the yelled at)

[RollerColt]

19 minutes ago, Shive said:

Ever since the last Jags games last season, I've had the feeling that there were a couple of prominent "leaders" on the team that are very talented as individuals, but actually poor leaders. Just because someone is a pro-bowler or all-pro doesn't make them a good leader, and it feels like we may have thrusted leadership roles on some players that aren't a good fit for leading.

 

Some of the body language in the last Hard Knocks episode made me question a few guys as leaders like Buckner.

 

Edit: I should clarify that I don't believe Buckner is a bad leader, but I'm not sold on whether or not he's a good one.

There's a whole lot of "meh" right now if we judge the product on the field. Our top guys aren't producing. I hate saying it, because I was big on Pittman to start the year, but where is he? Every time the camera is on him after a catch or a drop he just looks... meh... Like he's not even interested in the situation. Where's the fire? I get the frustration because of the QB situation year after year, but if all else fails, freaking play for yourself. For your own legacy. NFL players should have no problem motivating themselves to be the best... 

[RollerColt]

2 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

I hope no one thinks Saturday is the first coach to stop a practice and yell at his players?

 

(I speak from experience - not the yelling...more like the yelled at)

Absolutely not. I've had my fair share of drawing the ire of coaches. 

 

It's just been a hot minute that I've seen a report specifically stating the walkthroughs are a problem... 

[jemack]

 

 

[Nickster]

1 hour ago, DougDew said:

 

Its funny how some will say that players are being paid a lot so they are complacent.  Others will say that guaranteed money means nothing as these guys want to work hard to win a "Championship".  So which is it?

 

The reality is, is that NFL football is a physically hard sport that carries with it possibilities for devastating injury on any play...even non contact practice.  If you are going to risk your body like that...and put forth the effort it takes...you want to be reasonably assured that investment will have some decent chance at winning that "Championship".

 

They know what they are.  They've known it since last season....they came back to reality in the LVR game and then fully cemented with the JAX game last season.  They knew the roster was not good enough last year, and they know that other teams made moves in the AFC to get better while the Colts basically just added a couple of one year vets and some drafted rookies. 

 

Not to mention an owner that never supported the QB last year, and was one of the few corporate CEOs that publicly looked like he was taking sides with players personal health choices...looking like he cut the QB based on what personal health choice he made.

 

A HC is not going to motivate them to think that they are going to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs, or necessarily even get them to think that they are playoff quality.  Especially after losing Divisional games.

 

Its funny to read comments like its either Frank or Jeff..which is better.  The fact is the motivational problems come from the players understanding the math, and the owner being a bit of an impulsive flake that had a material impact on their teammates and roster.  When it comes to energy, motivation, etc, whoever the HC is pretty powerless at this point (and all season frankly) and has just sort of gotten caught in the middle.

 

Lots of fans don't understand that these guys are professionals who are earning a living.  They are going to do what is best for themselves and their money earning potential for the most part.  The overwhelming preponderance of vets on a good contract are not going to be as willing to sell out in a lost season such as this one.  Guys fighting for contracts will, but guys with guaranteed money are more secure and don't personally need to.

The "for the love of the game" crowd gets all gushy and indignant when it comes to effort, but for the most part, these types of people don't understand the real world reality of how human beings behave. 

 

 

[shasta519]

37 minutes ago, Shive said:

Ever since the last Jags games last season, I've had the feeling that there were a couple of prominent "leaders" on the team that are very talented as individuals, but actually poor leaders. Just because someone is a pro-bowler or all-pro doesn't make them a good leader, and it feels like we may have thrusted leadership roles on some players that aren't a good fit for leading.

 

Some of the body language in the last Hard Knocks episode made me question a few guys as leaders like Buckner.

 

Edit: I should clarify that I don't believe Buckner is a bad leader, but I'm not sold on whether or not he's a good one.

 

It's pretty crazy considering the importance placed on "leadership" and how much they value team captains in the draft.

[CR91]

3 hours ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

Umm...they are compensated quite handsomely to "care" 

 

They get paid rather they care or not